Folding lunch box



8, 1956 B. L. KREUTZER FOLDING LUNCH BOX Filed April 12, 1955 IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent FOLDING LUNCH BOX Blanche L. Kreutzer, Yonkers, N. Y. Application April 12, 1955, Serial No. 500,886

1 Claim. (Cl. 220-6) This invention relates to lunch boxes.

Conventional lunch boxes suffer from the disadvantage that after the lunch has been consumed, it is necessary to carry around a bulky, empty lunch box.

It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide a folding lunch box which, after the lunch has been consumed, may be folded into a compact unit which may be easily and readily carried in a mans pocket or a womans purse or between books belonging to students or the like.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a folding lunch box which may be manufactured of plastic at a relatively low cost and which will promote the carrying of lunches for all occasions by eliminating the necessity of a bulky empty lunch box being carried afterwards.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a lunch box having the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and efiicient in use.

For other objects and a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the same in assembled position as a lunch box;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the box in a collapsed position with the cover being slid partially thereon;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary exploded elevational view showing the hinge elements forming a part of the invention.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, 10 represents a rectangular plastic bottom wall provided along its edges with the grooves 11. The bottom wall 10 along the opposite longitudinal sides thereof is provided with the pair of longitudinally spaced recesses 12 (Fig. 7) formed at their opposite ends with the detents 13. The bottom wall 10 is also provided at each end with a similar recessed portion 12 likewise provided with detents 13.

A pair of side walls 14 are provided and are integrally formed along their lower longitudinal edges with the longitudinally spaced lugs 15 (Fig. 7) adapted to be pivotally received within the recessed portions 12 of the base, each of the lugs 15 at opposite ends being integrally formed with the beads 16 or pins adapted to be received within the detents 13, whereby to hingeably connect the side walls to the base. As shown in Fig. 3,

the lugs 15 are of circular cross section to facilitate the rotational movement of the sides against the base. The height of each of the sides 14 is substantially onehalf the width of the base 10 so that when the sides are folded against the base, they will extend thereacross as shown in Fig. 5. Each of the sides 14 near its upper longitudinal edge is provided on the outer face thereof with a longitudinal groove 17. Each of the side walls 14 at the opposite ends thereof is integrally formed below the groove 17 with the tongues 18 bent inwardly at right angles thereto.

A pair of end Walls 19 are provided and are integrally formed along their lower longitudinal edges with similar lugs 15 adapted to be hingeably received within the recessed portions 12 at the ends of the base, the end walls 19 being of substantially the same height as the side walls and are retained against outward rotation by means of the tongues 18. The Side walls 14 at opposite ends are integrally formed with the projections 20 which engage the inner faces of the end walls 19 whereby to retain the same in the vertical position of Fig. 1.

A rectangular cover 21 is provided and is integrally formed along the opposite longitudinal edges with the side walls 22 integrally formed along their lower edges with the inwardly extending flanges 23 which are slidably received within the grooves 17, as shown in Fig. 4, whereby to complete the assembly.

After consuming the contents of the lunch box thus provided, the box may be collapsed by rotating the end walls 19 against the base after first rotating the side walls 14 outwardly to release the same. The side walls 14 are then rotated down on top of the end walls 19 whereupon the cover is again slid onto the collapsed device with the flanges 23 being slidably received within the groove 11 of the bottom wall 10, as shown in Fig. 5. Thus, a compact device is provided which may be carried in a mans pocket or womans purse or between students books and which eliminates the necessity of carrying a bulky, empty lunch box around after the lunch has been consumed and to promote the carrying of lunches on all occasions by its compactness.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus set forth and disclosed invention, what is claimed is:

A folding lunch box comprising a substantially rectangular bottom wall, a pair of complementary, substantially rectangular side walls adapted to be folded together onto said bottom wall, means pivotally connecting the lower edges of said side walls to said bottom wall, a pair of substantially rectangular end walls, means pivotally connecting the lower edges of said end walls to said bottom walls, longitudinally spaced projections at each end of said side walls on the inner faces thereof adapted to releasably receive therebetween the ends of said end walls whereby to retain said end walls in substantially vertical relationship, a substantially rectangular member integrally formed along opposite sides with depending side walls adapted to fit downwardly on the outside of said side walls, inwardly extending flanges formed along the inner edges of said cover side walls, said first side walls along their upper and lower portions being provided with longitudinal grooves adapted to receive said flanges slidably therewithin whereby to retain said side walls in operative engagement with said end walls and to encompass said bottom wall, end walls and side walls after said side walls have been folded outwardly to release said end walls and said end walls are collapsed onto said bottom wall with said side walls thereover, said bottom wall along opposite longitudinal the nature of my edges having a longitudinal groove slidably receiving said flanges therewithin when said lunch box is in the collapsed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent 4 Lackey Feb. 26, 1924 Latin et a1 Apr. 22, 1941 Brunetti Feb. 1, 1949 Radde Dec. 19, 1950 

